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The Punjabi Cultural Society of Chicago (PCS) 

 

P.C.S. "RANGLA PUNJAB 2013" A PUNJABI CULTURAL SHOWCASE CHICAGO

Chicago, April 07, 2012:
R.S.Mago

PCS, The Punjabi Cultural Society of Chicago presented their flagship annual event “Rangla Punjab 2013” to celebrate Vaisakhi festival on Saturday March 30, 2013, at Copernicus Theater in Chicago. More than 200 participants rendered 29 delightful variety acts in a talent show attended by nearly 1000 guests.

Mrs. & Dr. Bhupinder Singh Saini of Advanced Pain Management Clinics in Wisconsin were the chief guests.
Guest of honor Illinois State Treasurer Dan Rutherford said it was his eighth year attending PCS events. He was presented with an inscription commemorating the Punjabi Sikh soldiers from British India who gallantly fought alongside the allied forces during the two World Wars.

Mr. N.J. Gangte consul at Indian Consulate office in Chicago also attended the event.

“It was a wonderful display of how Indian culture can be preserved in America. It was delightful to see children from age 5 and above performing on the stage while adults came together as a team to make it a greatly successful night. Such events are a major mechanism for cross cultural education and unity,” said Northwestern University Evanston Professor Dr. Sanjay Mehrotra who is also Director of Health Care Engineering Center at Northwestern. Dr. Mehrotra is also coordinator of Sunday School education at Hindu Temple of Lake County.

The program included lively performances of Bhangra and Gidha dances, Punjabi songs, music, and poetry, by local and guest artists from nearby states. PCS Board of Directors for 2013 were introduced, sponsors, guests, and other P.C.S. officials were recognized.

 Enthusiastic artists of all ages, talented teenage young boys and girls, college students, and exceptionally entertaining adult artists in a variety of colorful costumes from Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin performed their best on stage. Young children were trained by PCS who were practicing since January for this event.

Very well choreographed, vibrant and high energy college competitive bhangra teams in colorful costumes University of Illinois Chicago “UIC Bhangra,” “DePaul University Bhangra,” and an independent Bhangra group “Ministry Of Bhangra” were a delight to watch.

 The Gidha dance moves by the colorfully dressed ladies from “Milwaukee Gidha” Team and “Gidhe Diyan Ranian,” the young “Chicago Gidha” team, and “Shaunkanna Chicago Diyan” reminded a wedding scene back home and won the hearts of the audience.

Punjabi Youth Club of Milwaukee’s “Malwai Gidha,” with an authentic native flavor, “Junior Bhangra” in colorful costumes, and Milwaukee’s “Miltown Bhangra” rendered awesome performances.

There were many other excellent Bhangra, gidha, and dance items presented by the local community children and artists. It was really a festival of Punjabi culture. Several vendors had setup shop to sell novelty merchandise in the theater lobby.
PCS Vice President Pardeep Singh Deol welcomed the audience. The program opened with singing of a prayer “shabad” by a group of young children, "O, God give us the boon that we never turn away from doing good deeds." (Deh Shiva Bar mohe ihe, shubh karman te kabhu na taron)

 The variety program divided in four segments was emceed by Navraaz Kaur Basati, Janampreet Kaur Chahal, Rajinder Singh Mago, and Jassi Parmar. The back stage activities for the event were managed by Mago.
A tribute to the late singer, songwriter and Government of India’s Padma Shri awardee, Surinder Kaur (1929-2006), popularly known as “Nightingale of Punjab” who had popularized Punjabi folk songs worldwide, was given by Parina Mehrotra who sang “Ehna Akhiyaan” in her melodious voice, transporting the audience to the land of pure love. With her passion for art and music Parina promotes religion and culture.

"A fast moving five hour long program with participants ranging from five to fifty in age was simply fantastic. The audience's eyes were glued on stage," said Mahijit Virdi of Racine Wisconsin, who also sang a Punjabi song "Apna Punjab Hove."
Dalbir Chopra, Avtar Multani, and Chetan Saini also delighted the audience with their melodious Punjabi singing performances.
Jassi Parmar and Charandeep Singh enacted a hilarious Punjabi skit “Billa Chah Walla te Bhaiya Ji in America,” depicting two stock characters from Doordarshan JalandharRadio Station farmer's talk show “Dehati Program” series.
P.C.S. also recognized its permanent Board of Governors and Board of Advisors.

Ronny Kular announced P.C.S. Board of Directors for 2013, as Lakhvir Singh Sahota (Hon. Chairman), Surinder Singh Sangha (President), Pardeep Singh Deol (Vice President), Balwinder Singh Girn (Executive Secretary), Vick Singh (Finance Secretary), Harpreet Singh Grewal (Inter-community Director), Gurmit Singh Dhillon (Sports Director), and Manjeet Singh Bhalla (Youth Director).

Outgoing PCS president Baljit Singh Sidhu was awarded a plaque for his excellent services during his term. Sidhu thanked his team for full support through the year. Outgoing PCS Chairman Dr. Amarjit Singh, who was to be similarly honored, was out of town.

Dr. Bhupinder Singh Saini was honored with a plaque for his continuing moral and financial support to PCS, by PCS Chairman Lakhvir Singh Sahota, Past Chairman Jarnail Singh Lail, President Surinder Singh Sangha, and other PCS officials.

"I appreciate the wonderful work that PCS and it’s dedicated board members are doing," said Dr. Saini, and urged the community to support PCS activities to keep our culture alive.

Rajinder Singh Mago conducted the awards and recognition ceremonies in cooperation with Sunny Kular.
Lakhvir Singh Sahota said that PCS has been instrumental in imparting Punjabi culture to community’s next generation including his own children, and have been doing it for more than two decades on volunteer basis.
PCS President Surinder Singh Sangha thanked the participants, coordinators, sponsors and the community members for their support, and also recognized in the audience, Mrs. Satpal Kaur Kaleka widow of Mr. Satwant Singh Kaleka the Gurdwara president who was killed along with 5 others in the Oak Creek Wisconsin Gurdwara shooting by a racist gunman on August 5, 2012. Kaleka family has been an ardent supporter of PCS activities.
The Sikh Religious Society Palatine President Sokhi Singh made an appearance and conveyed the Vaisakhi greetings to the audience and congratulated PCS for the valuable community service it is doing.

 The program was sponsored by Advanced Pain Management Milwaukee, Dr. Narinder S. Grewal – California, Dr. Amarjit Singh, Jarnail Singh Lail, Ronny Kular, Akal Petroleum, Balwinder Singh Girn, Vick Singh, Harinder Singh, Lakhvir Singh Sahota, Surinder Singh Sangha, Hardial S. Deol, Dr. Gurdial S. Basran, Dr. Hargurmukhpal Singh, Dr. Jagjit S. Kaleka, Gulzar Singh Multani, Nick Gakhal, Jasvir Singh Deol, Nimrata K. Singh, Onkar S. Sangha, Sandhu Petroleum, Gurdeep Singh, Suga Builders, Parminder S. Ghotra, Manpal S. Grewal, Thakar S. Basati, Desi Junction, Parminder Walia, Surjit K. Sandhu, Santokh Singh DC, Punjab Sports Club of Chicago, AASA, Baiju Mehta CPA, Sam’s Club, OneRoseGroup.com, Motorola, Kohl’s among many others.

The program was organized by Surinder Singh Sangha, Pardeep Singh Deol, Gurmit Singh Dhillon, Harpreet Singh Grewal, Vick Singh, Balwinder Singh Girn, Baljit Singh Sidhu, Parminder Singh Ghotra, Thakar Singh Basati, Mohinderjit Singh Saini, Harwinder Paul Singh Lail, Sunny Kular, Onkar Singh Sangha, Jasbir Singh Palia, Ronny Kular, and Rajinder Singh Mago.

The young community children performers were trained by many P.C.S. volunteers and item coordinators who worked hard for the last three months. The coordinators include Bhai Gurmukh Singh, Sukhwinder Kaur, Vicky, Hunny, Sukhi and Bawa, Gursimran Singh, Pardeep Singh Deol, Paul Singh, and Kulwinder Singh, Amrit Kaur Thind, Pinky Palia, Kiranjit Kaur Cheema, Beant Kaur Virk, Harkirat Kaur Sethi, Jassi Parmar, Sukhvir Kaur Dhillon, Harleen Kaur Saini, Sonia Kaur Singh, Sonica Singh, Lovedeep Singh Dulat, Puneet Kahlon, Manpreet Kaur, Rajpreet Dhaliwal and Sukhwinder Kaur.
 PCS interns Bikram Chohan and Elizabeth Verghese coordinated the volunteers.

Many volunteers who helped in organizing and running the show included Sukhwinder Kaur, Amrit Kaur, Jeetu Kaur, Jaskarn Saini, Robin Ghotra, Amrit Girn, Gurpreet Girn, Rashpal Singh, and Surinder Singh Bhatia.
The theater stage was beautifully decorated by Navjot Kaur of Silverleaf Events and Wedding Designs Inc.

The VIP dinner was served by K.K. Pamma and the participants refreshments by Manpal Singh Grewal.
 Punjabi Cultural Society of Chicago (PCS) has been organizing this traditional Punjabi cultural program "Rangla Punjab" for more than two decades. This is the single largest annual Punjabi cultural event in Chicago area that show cases the Punjabi performing arts and promotes the local community talent. It's purpose is to impart Punjabi culture into our next generation born and brought up here in America and also to share it with the mainstream Americans. It is also to unite the community living here through a common cultural celebration.

 The upcoming P.C.S. organized events are "Punjabi Youth Graduation & Scholarship Night" dinner and party on June 9, 2013 at Viceroy of India Banquets in Lombard, IL. All the Punjabi graduates are requested to register with PCS. The Rangla Punjab 2013 participants will also be honored.

 "P.C.S. Sports Festival" including a basketball tournament is slated for July 27, 2013 at Falcon Park Recreation Center, 2195 N. Hicks Road in Palatine Illinois.

 The Punjabi Cultural Society of Chicago is a volunteer not-for-profit community service organization devoted to promoting Punjabi culture, language, performing arts, education, good citizenship, healthy life style, and sports in the metropolitan Chicago area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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